Dr Shafi Ahmed told the Press Association that the virtual surgery experiment would be a "game changer" that would "address the global inequalities in surgical health and ... allow trainees and surgeons to connect and train remotely across the world".

"It showcases virtual reality for what it should be used for – education," Dr Ahmed said.

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Because the operation will be broadcast virtually, an unlimited number of medical students around the globe can potentially tune in to learn from the experience.

Cameras with 360-degree range will be positioned above the operating table as the British patient, in his 70s, undergoes surgery on April 14 at the Royal London Hospital.

Viewers will be able to tune in online from 10pm AEST using a consumer-grade virtual reality headset such as an Oculus Rift or a Samsung Gear VR. The operation is expected to last two to three hours.

The surgery will be streamed with about a minute's delay in case any complications require the broadcast to be terminated – similar to the brief broadcast delay in live TV and radio.

Details of how to access the live stream have yet to be announced, however Medical Realities has published a flyer about the event with the hashtag #VRinOR.

Dr Ahmed co-founded the company Medical Realities to advance medical education through new technologies.

He describes himself on Twitter as a "futurist" and "virtual surgeon" with an interest in global surgical training.

Several consumer technology brands have launched virtual reality headsets in recent months, including Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG and Alcatel. Some of these require a smartphone or other device to operate.

Google also has a product called Google Cardboard made from a cardboard cut-out frame, optical lenses and magnets. The user simply slots their smartphone into the front of the headset and holds the headset up to their eyes, proving just how accessible virtual reality technology is today.

The virtual reality trend has been a big hit at tech industry shows in 2016, including the Consumer Electronics Show, Mobile World Congress and SXSW.

In 2014 Dr Ahmed was the first to broadcast surgery live using Google Glass. Nearly 14,000 people from more than 130 countries tuned in, many of them from Australia.

In 2015 Dr Ahmed was awarded a silver scalpel award by the Association of Surgeons in Training for his efforts in surgical training.